


Take My Hand

by Akiko_Natsuko



Series: Reaper76 [44]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Brainwashing, Confusion, Emotional Baggage, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, Hope, M/M, Memories, Memory Alteration, Overwatch!Reaper, Past Relationship(s), Reunions, Scars, Survivor Guilt, Talon!Jack, Trust
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-14
Updated: 2018-10-14
Packaged: 2019-08-01 02:51:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16276445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akiko_Natsuko/pseuds/Akiko_Natsuko
Summary: In the dusty remains of the SEP base, Gabriel finds himself face to face with a ghost.





	Take My Hand

    Reaper paused for a moment as the floor creaked ominously beneath his feet, the sound deafening in the silence that lay over the abandoned base and he found himself tightening his hold on his weapons as he scanned the hangar for a moment before letting out an exasperated sigh. He hated missions like this, hated being sent back to bases that before the fall of Overwatch had been as familiar to him as the rooms that he had shared with Jack. It was another reason for hating these missions, because no matter where he was or what he was looking for, these bases and the dusty insignia on the walls and the equipment that had been abandoned, brought too many memories back to the surface, memories that were better left alone. His fingers tightened for a moment before he sighed and let his guns fade away, scolding himself for being jumpy even as he reached for his communicator.

“Winston.” It took a moment for the Scientist’s voice to come through, the acknowledgement nearly lost in the static and he sighed. “Wait.” Bracing himself, still unused to the sensation even after all these years he shadow-stepped, rematerializing on the roof of the base and wincing as Winston’s voice immediately burst through in his ears. “Not so loud,” he growled in irritation, not paying any attention to the apology that followed as he moved to stand at the end of the roof and looking out over the base, closing his eyes as for a moment he imagined how it had been before. Back when it had been filled with life and noise, flinching at the memory of blond hair and blue eyes, the sound of footsteps never more than a few feet behind him and he hoped that Winston wouldn’t comment on the waver in his voice as he forced his focus back to the present. “Are you sure about this? This place doesn’t look like it’s been touched since…then.” Even now he couldn’t bring himself to talk about the ‘Fall’, especially not when the past was already threatening to overwhelm him, and he could feel his form threatening to disintegrate as his emotions began to rise.

 _“Someone’s been there.”_ Winston’s voice was a welcome distraction, talking about the mission giving him something to focus on, something to ground him in there here and now and he let out a sigh of relief when he felt himself solidify again. _“Athena reports that there have been several aborted attempts to connect to her mainframe from that base.”_

   Reaper frowned at that. The command centre had the first place that he’d checked upon arrival at the base, but whilst there was still limited power, everything had been coated in a thick layer of dust. If anyone had been in there they were a ghost. _Much like me_ , he thought with a hint of bitterness, lifting a hand and letting it fade in out of mist for a moment before forcing himself to stop.

“That she stopped?” He asked with a frown, knowing that the A.I had intensified her security after Talon had hit them hard a few months ago, unsettled by the thought that there were still people out there capable of getting around those new defences. He’d only got the vaguest details about why he was needed here when they’d contacted him the day before, asking him to leave his current surveillance on a known Talon base to get across to this remote base. At the time he had been furious, worried that weeks of watching, weeks of living as a wraith in enemy territory would go to waste. Now though he could feel the hairs on his arms standing up, instincts that had kept him more or less alive for this long telling him that despite his previous thoughts that the base was empty, that something was here.

“ _No.”_ Winston replied, hesitating for a moment before continuing, confusion evident in his tone and Reaper could hear him shifting around. “ _Whoever is doing this stops once they get to a certain point in the security system.”_

“Maybe they don’t have all the codes.” _Let’s hope they don’t…_

 _“Maybe.”_ Winston allowed, but he didn’t sound convinced and to be honest neither was Reaper. He might not be as technologically minded as Winston, but even he knew that a hacker was unlikely to initiate an attack unless they were confident they could get all the way through or at least stand a decent chance of it, whereas this sounded more like someone was having a change of mind or heart in the middle of doing it. “ _But the fact that they have enough to get that far is worrying.”_

“Fine,” Reaper growled, sounding more irritated than he was, eyes scanning the base once more as a shiver ran the length of his spine. “I’ll see what I can find, but next time you can send someone else to do this kind of thing…this place is…”

 _“I know.”_ Winston probably knew better than everyone after spending so long cooped up in the Watchpoint on his own, living in rooms and corridors haunted by the memories of old friends, of better times and somehow that helped _. “I’m sorry Gabriel, you were closest and until we can recruit more agents we’re stretched thin at best.”_

 _Recruit more agents?_ Winston always sounded so sincere, so hopeful, as though he had no doubts at all that Overwatch could grow again. That it could become more like its old self than the ragged bunch of agents who had responded to the recall. Gabriel wasn’t so sure and not just because the recall and their current actions placed them outside of the law as their very existence went against the PETRAS act, but because he wasn’t convinced that it should come back. It had been a grand idea, but maybe it should have stayed that way. If it had then maybe the world would be in a worse state than it was, but so many people would still be alive, he would still be human and Jack… Jack would still be alive.

“I know.” It came out terser than he intended, but he wasn’t in the mood to apologise. “I’ll report in if I find anything.” He didn’t wait for a response, turning off the communicator and slipping it away, knowing that he would probably catch an earful when he did make it back to the watchpoint but for now the silence was welcome.

   He remained on the rooftop for a few more minutes, sharp eyes studying the base, searching for some sign that someone else was there but there was nothing and, in the end, he sighed in defeat, slipping through the shadows once more to resume his search inside the base.

**

   Gabriel had searched the rest of the base, silently moving through the familiar corridors, past the rooms where once upon time they had been put through hell in the name of science. A bitter chuckle rising in his throat as he studied one of the rooms, the once pristine walls now stained with age, wondering if the scientists who had so enthusiastically worked to create super soldiers had ever envisioned something as monstrous as him _. You’re not a monster_ , Angela’s voice rang out in the back of his mind, fierce and defensive all at once. Their relationship was still rocky at best after what had happened, and her unwillingness to bend the rules to search for an answer to what was happening to his body, and yet there had been such sincerity in her eyes that day that he had believed her words. For a little while at least…

   Beyond the labs lay the practice rooms, once upon a time these had been considered state of the art, equipped with every training program the military had and then some. Hours upon hours of simulations that at the time had felt far too real, and yet not real enough it had turned out. How many nights had they spent down here, just the two of them trying to work off pent up energy, trying to distract themselves from the pain as their bodies fought to adapt to what the doctors were pumping into them? How many nights had they pushed themselves to the limits until they collapsed in a heap? His form was threatening to disintegrate again, claws biting into the door beside him, metal creaking and shrieking as it falls apart under his grip. _I shouldn’t be here_ … He’s more wraith than anything as he shoots off down the corridor, eager to escape the memories although he doubts that’s going to happen anytime soon.

   It doesn’t help that when he finally comes to a halt its to find himself in the empty hall that had housed their rooms, and he nearly shadows-steps away, anything to escape the memories that he knows are going to come from this place. Instead he hesitates, form swirling nervously for a moment before he forces himself to take a deep breath and then another, and another until he can feel his body returning to normal, or as close to normal as he can get these days.

   He’s just managed to pull himself back together, wisps of smoke still escaping with each breath when he hears movement. It’s barely audible, just the faintest sound of boots on the dust-covered floor and far too close for comfort. Cursing himself for getting distracted he whirled, turning just in time to see the bright light of helix rockets coming towards him and he snarls, slipping into the shadows just in time to avoid them, sharp eyes searching for his assailant as the corridor shakes around him under the force of the explosion from behind him. It’s the burst of rifle fire that catches his attention as he dodges to the side, finally glimpsing his attacker and growling under his breath as he spies the distinctive red gleam of the tactical visor, and the blank mask attached to it.

Soldier 76.

   It’s not the first time he’s encountered the Talon agent and their fights have always been close, and he’s heard rumours, stories, that tell him that the man is capable of far more and far worse, which means he needs to end this encounter quickly, especially if he’s the one that’s threatening to break into Athena’s systems. A ripple of pain makes him hiss, eyes widening behind his own mask as he realises that he’s solidifying again, gaze darting to the rip in his jacket and the black mist rising as the nanites work to patch him up. _He’s good_ , he has to acknowledge that at least, but he doesn’t dwell on it. Instead he darts to the side, letting himself solidify just enough to shadow step, stomach churning at the sensation as always, but its easily forgotten in favour of the fight. Reappearing behind the man he catches a glimpse of the large ‘76’ stitched into the back of the coat, eyes narrowing as he notes that there is blood staining the side of the snowy hair, before lunging forward to try and trap the other man.

    He manages to send the pulse rifle flying, barely aware of the sound of it skidding across the floor, because the other man twists with a feral growl rumbling in his throat, grabbing his arm and spinning with him before releasing him in a move that should have sent him slamming into the wall if he hadn’t let his form dissolve just in time. He hears a howl from behind him as he phases through the wall, only to come up short as he realises that he’s in their old room, solidifying with difficulty because there are too many emotions surging through him now. eyes darting around as though expecting to see some trace of their life here, even though the few things they’d had to make it home had gone with the and now lay somewhere under the rubble in Zurich. He isn’t given long to dwell on that thought, just managing to note that Jack’s bed has been used and recently, a snarl bubbling up at the thought of a Talon agent sleeping in the bed he had shared so many times with Jack, before the door crashes open behind him.

    Soldier 76 is framed in the half light from the emergency lighting that still works in the corridor, visor standing out vividly in the shadowed room, but he seems suddenly reluctant to move as he spots Gabriel stood by the bed. Gabriel seizes the chance to weigh up the situation, noting that the other man hadn’t retrieved his weapon although he doubts that makes him any less dangerous and he’s half tempted to reach for his own guns and end it here, but something is stopping him. That move from before… There was only one person he knew who had ever successfully used that spin against him, the only person who had ever been able to catch him off guard. _But that’s not possible…_

   Jack had been right there with him that day, he hadn’t been supposed to be there, but he had… standing right there in front of him, within arm’s reach when the world went up in flames around them, the base crumbling and taking them with it. He hadn’t made it out alive, not really, and there was no way Jack could’ve surived….no way…and yet that move…

“Who are you?” He demanded, hating himself for asking and sternly trying to quash the flicker of hope in his chest as he took a half-step forward, noting how the other man tensed first at the words and then at the movement. Yet still he made no move to attack again. Instead he seemed to be contemplating something, although he remained silent, expression hidden beneath the mask and visor and after a moment the continued silence began to grate on nerves that were stretched far too thin after being assailed by memories all day, voice a low snarl as he stepped forward again. “Answer me damn it!”

   He hadn’t really been expecting an answer. He certainly was expecting Soldier 76 to visibly hesitate for a moment before slowly lifting his hands, a movement that makes him tense in alarm for a moment, before he realises that the other man is reaching for his mask. For a wild moment, he wants to tell him to stop, afraid to see what might lie beneath that mask, but the words won’t come. Instead all he can do is swallow thickly as Soldier 76 finds the catches and presses them, the click audible in the tense silence before slowly pulling it away and lowering it and suddenly Gabriel can’t breathe.

   The face beneath the mask was nothing like he remembered. Once tan skin with its light dusting of freckles was pale, unnaturally so and what skin isn’t marred with scars, is weathered with age. The sight of the scars leaves a bitter taste in Gabriel’s mouth because the shiny burns that cover large areas of skin are too similar to the ones hidden beneath his mask, mementos of a day of fire and pain and he has to stop himself from reaching out, instead letting his gaze shift to the deep scars that run across the other man’s face, before he inhales sharply. He hadn’t let himself look at the other’s eyes yet, terrified by the thought of facing the bright blue eyes that he had fall in love with years ago, but now he can’t avoid them, because they’re a mere echo of their former self. The blue that had always reminded him of an open, cloudless sky are dim and foggy, and there’s a dull ache in his chest as he shifts slightly to the side, testing, only to falter when he realises that they’re not tracking his movement. Yet for all the changes, for all the damage…

“Jack…” The name escaped before he could stop it, barely a whisper of sound and yet deafening in the tense silence that had fallen and he saw his companion flinch at the name, confirming his suspicions. But there was no sudden upspring of relief, of warmth like he had been expecting. He can breathe a little easier, but there’s a rising wave of anger and guilt rising in his chest. “It is you, but…” _You died_ … Gabriel could still remember waking in the hidden room, his body dissolving around him as Angela tried to explain what had happened to him, to Zurich, and that the changes he had been fighting for months had finally taken hold saving his life. However, her words had fallen on deaf ears at first because there had been one thing…one person…missing. Despite the differences and distance that had come between them, Jack had always been there when he woke from a mission gone wrong and he had known even before she told him, tears in her eyes, that Jack was gone…and yet…

“I’m Soldier 76.” The answer was flat, rehearsed, empty as Soldier 76 shifted uncomfortably, hands fumbling with the mask in his hands as he separated it from the visor, lifting the latter up and reattaching it and Gabriel can tell that he’s looking at him now. “Who are you?!”

   Gabriel hesitates for a moment, even if he was right, even if this was…Jack…the man in front of him was a Talon agent, one of their most dangerous agents who had caused Overwatch considerable trouble since the Recall, who had very nearly killed Tracer a few months ago. He’s the enemy. He knows this, and yet he can’t forget about the fact that this man who had never shown any hesitation in their fights before had willingly stepped unarmed into the room and bared his face to an enemy. And despite everything the hope in his chest climbs higher, and he finds himself reaching up to wave a hand over his face, the mask fading away into the shadows as another tendril pushes the hood back to reveal his face. He feels exposed like this, highly aware of the scars covering his skin, the bits where it fades in and out of existence as the nanites struggle to keep him together, but he bears with it, more focused on watching Jack’s expression for a reaction, but whilst there’s a flicker of something, it’s not quite recognition and his heart plummets.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” The quiet question startles him, and he can’t help but wonder what expression he must have on his face right now, even as his mind races, trying to come up with a way to answer that won’t reveal too much. “Who are you? Why are you here? Why…why do I k-know you?” Gabriel feels his eyes widen at the last bit, catching the waver in his voice, the way his hands have clenched into fists into his side. “I…” Jack falters for a moment, shaking his head from side to side, and now he’s clawing at himself and Gabriel’s eyes narrow at the action. It’s like he’s fighting something, and a sinking suspicion makes itself known when Jack manages to continue, voice wavering violently. “I recognise you…but I…I don’t know how. I don’t know you…I don’t know who I am…so…how?” A low groan slips out, his hands moving to grip at his head and Gabriel growls under his breath, his suspicion confirmed…

   He knows that reaction, those gestures, he had seen them briefly in Amelie Lacroix in the immediate aftermath of her husband’s murder, before her Windowmaker persona had taken control. His form is threatening to give way again, fury coursing through him as he watches Jack stagger back a step, fingers yanking and pulling at snowy hair. As he watches the confusion warring with fear and anger on the familiar, yet so unfamiliar face. They did this to him…broke him…used him…turned him into a weapon to use against us. There’s a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach, he had let himself believe that Jack was gone even though he, himself had been brought back from the brink. He hadn’t tried to find a body, he hadn’t doubted the news beyond the angry screams of denial that had escaped him when he first heard it…he could have been looking for him. He could have stopped this from happening.

   A low noise makes him focus on the other man, and he frowns as Jack shakes his head from side to side, clearly fighting something and despite himself Gabriel tenses. It might look as though Jack is fighting whatever control they have over him, but he knows all too well how easy it can be for someone to slip under once more and he refuses to let Jack have his blood on his hands.

“Jack?” There wasn’t even a flicker of reaction to the name this time and Gabriel sighed, a name was too simple to give up, too easy to leave behind. He knew that all too well. For years before the recall he had just been Reaper; Gabriel Reyes banished to a dusty corner of his mind and that had been by choice. It was likely that Talon had done everything in their power to lock ‘Jack Morrison’ away in the back of Jack’s mind. But there were other names, pet names whispered late at night when they were curled together in bed, spoken aloud in moments of fear and elation, murmured lovingly against warm lips when they kissed, and he straightened with fresh determination. “Mi Sol?”

   A soft whimper greets the nickname, Jack going perfectly still for a moment before his hands slowly fall limply by his side, and Gabriel finally feels the warmth that had been missing before and he takes a cautious step forward. “Mi Sol? Do you remember that name? Do you remember why I call you that?” He wants to ask more, to ask if he remembers who he is, but he doesn’t want to overwhelm Jack.

“Sun…My sun…” Jack murmurs hesitantly, reaching up slowly to tug at his hair before looking at Gabriel once more, almost as though he’s looking for approval and Gabriel manages a smile, strained at the edges, but a smile nonetheless as he nods.

“That’s right, Jack,” he murmurs inching closer. “You wer…” He swallows thickly, heart hammering in his chest as he realises that he doesn’t need to use the past tense anymore, although a small part of him wonders if he should, hesitating for a moment before correcting himself. “Are my sun _.” Jack’s alive… Jack’s alive…_ He feels a little bit giddy as that realisation settles in, and his smile grows, warmer and less strained than before as he moves a little closer. “You’re Jack Morrison. You’re Mi Sol. Do you remember?” Jack is trembling now, a dozen different emotions flickering across his face too quickly for Gabriel to get a read on, hands slowly curling into fists at his side again.

“I-I can’t,” Jack shakes his head again, tone more distressed than before and Gabriel is alarmed to see him starting to strike at his legs with his fists, not sure whether he’s trying to keep himself in the present…or punish himself…neither of which are particularly pleasant thoughts. “I’m not…” His expression is evening out even as he continues to hit his leg, and Gabriel wants to curse at the words that tumble out a moment later. “I’m Soldier 76. That’s all I am…”

“No, it’s not!” Gabriel can’t watch him hurt himself anymore, closing the last of the distance between them and grabbing hold of the clenched fists, hanging on for dear life when Jack begins to struggle against his grip with a panicked expression. “You know that! You remember! Or at least part of you does! Why else would you be here?” He remembers his earlier thought that the aborted invasions of Athena’s systems looked like someone changing their mind and knows that he was spot on. Only it hadn’t been Jack changing his mind, but his training…brainwashing… whatever you wanted to call in kicking in and stopping him and yet he was still here. He had managed to stay here long enough to keep trying, which meant that he was fighting and the he had to remember something, just enough to give him a reason to hold out.

“I…”

“Mi Sol,” Gabriel cuts him off, slowly releasing one fisted hand and using his shadows to remove the clawed glove he had been wearing, so that when he reaches up to cup Jack’s cheek and cautiously run a thumb over the scarred flesh, its skin against skin. “Mi Corazon…I know you’re scared, I know that you’re fighting whatever the hell they’ve put you through. But you’re more than that! Much more and I’ll prove it to you, if you’ll let me.” _Please, let me bring you back…if I can…_

   Jack shudders but makes no attempt to pull away from his touch, if anything he’s leaning into it with another low whimper, pain flickering across his face. Gabriel doesn’t want to imagine how much it must be hurting to fight this, to fight what Talon had done, his stomach twisting itself into knots as he remembers how Amelie had screamed and clawed at everything and everyone, herself included when they had tried to break her free of Talon’s meddling before she had disappeared. _Can I really do that to him?_ It’s been years since Zurich, years in which Jack would have had nothing but Talon. Years of lies, years of control, years of brainwashing…it might well destroy him to try and wrench him free of that, and Gabriel feels his grip faltering, because as much as he wants Jack back now that he knows he’s alive, he’s not sure that he can do that to him. Reluctantly, heart twisting at that thought he releases Jack and staggers back a step. _I can’t hurt him…_

“G-Gabriel…” Jack’s voice startles him out of his thoughts, dragging him back to the present his eyes widening as he stares at the younger man, seeing the way his scarred lips twist for a moment before he hesitantly tries to correct himself. “No…Gabe…?”

   For a moment, there was nothing but silence, Jack tense in his suddenly lose grip as though terrified that he’s said something wrong. He probably is, Gabriel realises when he manages to suck in a desperate breath, shuddering as he fights the urge to close his eyes. _He remembers_ … He had always loved how Jack had said his name, no matter how it was said, but that hesitant, broken whisper may well now be his favourite and before Jack can fall apart completely he smiles, small, but honest and nods.

“Yes…I’m Gabe.” His own voice is thick, choked with emotion and he can feel his eyes stinging fiercely, feel his form flickering and threatening to disintegrate, but he doesn’t let it. He can’t fall apart now, not when he’s found a crack, a part of the old Jack…a part of the Jack that he had loved and who had loved him in turn. There’s no way he can let go now, no way he can back down. He knows that it will hurt them both, but he can’t let this fall through his hands. He can’t let Jack slip through his fingers again and taking a deep breath he holds out his uncovered hand in invitation.

“Jack.” Jack tilts his head at the name, his fidgety movements lessening, both of which are encouraging signs that gives Gabriel the courage to continue. “Come with me.” He knows that it won’t be that simple. That the cracks that have appeared in whatever Talon had done to Jack over the years could easily disappear beneath the surface once more, and that if that happens that they might never reappear again. He might take him back just for a Talon agent to be unleashed in their midst. He also knows that the fact that he had managed to get through to Jack today, didn’t necessarily mean that he would be able to get through to him next time. He decides there and then that he doesn’t care because this is Jack…Jack who is staring at his hand, fingers flexing at his side as though he’s barely resisting the urge to take it and he wiggles his own fingers in invitation. “Mi Sol, let me take you home.”

_Please, trust me as you once did…_


End file.
